ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Red Sox stretched their winning streak to seven games Thursday with an 8-2 pasting of the Los Angeles Angels, securing a sweep of the three-game series. The Red Sox outscored the home team 27-3 in the three games.
The Sox pounded out 14 hits and hit two more homers, giving them 11 for the series. It's the first time since 1977 that the Sox have hit more than 10 homers in a three-game series. Mookie Betts led off the game with a homer for the second time in three games and Andrew Benintendi later added his first of the season in the sixth.
Both J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers had three-hit nights while Beninendi had three RBI. Eduardo Rodriguez earned his second straight win, allowing two runs over six innings.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels
WHEN: 10:07 p.m.
WHERE: Angel Stadium
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won six straight and an incredible 15 of their last 16 games for the best start in franchise history and the best record in baseball. Even before the series finale here tonight, the Sox are assured of winning this series, as they've done with the five previous series this season. The Angels, who had the league's second-best record as recently as Tuesday afternoon, are reeling, having lost the last two games to the Sox by a combined score of 19-1.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0, 3.72) vs. RHP Nick Tropeano (1-0, 0.00).
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
12:31 Solid start for Rodriguez, who is surely finished after 104 pitches in six innings. He gave up just three hits -- two singles and a solo homer -- while striking out five. Tonight marks just fifth time all season that a Red Sox starter has given up more than a run.
12:05 The power source is back on for the Red Sox. They've got two homers tonight and 11 in this series, giving them 24 in 18 games this year. That would put them on a pace to hit close to 250 homers this season, a dramatic increase over their total of 168 last season, dead last in the American League.
11:52 Some irony there as Chris Young homers off former teammate Eduardo Rodriguez for a solo HR to left. The Sox kept waiting all of last year for Young to get hot against lefty pitching and initially kept him off the playoff roster.
11:30 Following a period that saw them run the bases with a little more cautious, the Red Sox are back to making outs. Rafael Devers singles home Martinez, but with the throw cut off from the outfield, is nailed at second trying to stretch. That's two out on the bases in this series and three in the last four games for the Sox.
11:26 After a slow start (0-for-8), J.D. Martinez is now 21-for-57 ever since, including 11-for-20 in the last five games.
11:06 Using mostly his four-seam fastball, Angels starter Nick Tropeano has recovered nicely after allowing the leadoff homer to Betts. He's allowed just one baserunner after the first -- and that was a slow chopper to the left of the mound for an infield hot for Rafael Devers.
10:53 Some sloppiness on the part of the Red Sox infield there, as, with the shift on, no one covered third on a groundout up the middle and Andrelton Simmons, having advanced to second on the groundout, kept running all the way to third with the base unoccupied.
10:30 A lengthy delay in the first as home plate umpire Jerry Layne was struck in the arm by a foul ball off the bat of Mike Trout, and after conferring with one of the Angels' trainers, left the game, obviously in considerable pain. He's been replaced by first base umpire Greg Gibson behind the plate, with the other two umpires sharing the three bases. The delay took about 12 minutes.
10:10 For the second time in the last three games, Mookie Betts leads off with a solo homer. That's 13th leadoff homers in his career. It's the sixth homer for Betts this season.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi CF
Ramirez DH
Martinez LF
Moreland 1B
Devers 3B
Nunez 2B
Vazquez C
Holt SS
ANGELS
Kinsler 2B
Trout CF
Upton LF
Pujols 1B
Simmons SS
Ohtani DH
Cozart 3B
Young RF
Maldonado C
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Xander Bogaerts, on the DL with a left foot injury, is "feeling better,'' according to Alex Cora. "He's making strides. I think today was a little more aggressive and we'll see how he feels after that.'' Asked whether there was a chance for Bogaerts to be activated and play in Oakland this weekend, Cora responded: "I don't think so.'' The Sox are still debating whether Bogaerts needs a brief rehab assignment and are wary about him returning in Toronto, which features an artificial surface. "That's not a good place to play,'' said Cora. "It's up to him. We'll see how he can tolerate and how he feels and go from there. I think it's too soon to know what we're going to do with him.'' Cora said the Sox want to see evidence from Bogaerts that he "can move and make all the plays at short, with no limitations running the bases. He was in a great spot (at the beginning of the season) and we've been talking about his base and how balances he was. I want to see that from him.'' Cora added that Bogaerts can still feel the foot "at times.''
- LHP Drew Pomeranz will make his season debut Friday night in Oakland in the series opener and won't be restricted. "He's a full-go,'' Cora said. "(He's good for) 100-105 (pitch count).'' Cora believes that Pomeranz is somewhat underrated, overshadowed by two others lefties (Chris Sale, David Price) in the Boston rotation. "He's one of the best (lefties) in the league and I'm looking forward to having him (back).''
- LHP Bobby Poyner pitched an inning for Double A Portland Thursday, throwing 19 pitches, 12 for strikes. Poyner will have one more rehab assignment with the Sea Dogs -- either Saturday or Sunday -- and is set to be activated Tuesday when the Sox begin their series against the Blue Jays.
- Cora praised Blake Swihart for maintaining a good attitude despite not getting much opportunity to play. "Some times there are guys who can suck the air out of that clubhouse (when they're not in the lineup as much as they'd like),'' Cora said. "He's the other way around -- he's catching his bullpens, taking his ground balls at second, showing up early. You've got to give him credit, because it's not easy. I'm the first one to admit.'' Cora is looking for ways to fit Swihart into the lineups. "Trust me, I'm trying,'' Cora said. "But there are other players who need their at-bats, too. I don't want to promise anything, but I think I'll probably try to get him a start in Oakland this weekend. It's going to get to a point where we might need him and if he's not sharp, it doesn't work for us.''
- Dustin Pedroia is "doing a lot, preparing'' in extended spring training in Fort Myers. He'll rejoin the Sox when they return to Fenway at the end of next week, so he can work out with the major league club. He'll then return to Fort Myers, and in time, begin playing games there and eventually going out on a rehab assignment. "It's like the beginning of spring training for him,'' Cora said.